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Proposals · head to head

Cone vs Dubsado

Cone logo

Cone

Proposals

Proposal to payment software for accounting and bookkeeping firms, with engagement letters and direct debit

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dubsado logo

Dubsado

Proposals

Business management for creatives

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dubsado has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cone the product is shaped around accountancy engagements, so a freelancer or agency outside professional services pays for engagement letter and compliance features they will never open.; Dubsado automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year
  • They diverge on capability: Cone covers Engagement letters, Dubsado covers Scheduler.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cone and Dubsado actually diverge.

Attributes where Cone and Dubsado differ
AttributeConeDubsado
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2016

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Proposals).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cone

  • Engagement letters
  • Electronic signature
  • Recurring billing
  • Direct debit collection
  • Scope creep flagging
  • Service line templates
  • Client onboarding tasks

Only in Dubsado

  • Scheduler
  • CRM
  • Invoicing
  • Contracts
  • Automation workflows
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • QuickBooks

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cone

  • A bookkeeping practice moving clients from ad hoc invoicing onto signed recurring fee agreementsnot Dubsado
  • An accountancy firm that needs engagement letter wording attached to every proposal for compliance reasonsnot Dubsado
  • A practice losing revenue to out of scope work that is never billed because nobody notices itnot Dubsado
  • Standardising pricing across a firm so that partners stop quoting the same service at different ratesnot Dubsado

Dubsado

  • Client management and project workflows for freelancers and studiosnot Cone
  • Sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow upnot Cone

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cone

  • The product is shaped around accountancy engagements, so a freelancer or agency outside professional services pays for engagement letter and compliance features they will never open.
  • Recurring collection depends on which payment rails are supported in your country, and direct debit coverage varies enough that the headline benefit may not apply to your client base.
  • Practice management integration is shallower than the incumbents, so client records often exist in two systems and have to be reconciled.
  • Pricing is not published, which makes it hard to compare against a general proposal tool without entering a sales process first.
  • As a younger vendor in a market that consolidates through acquisition, roadmap continuity carries more risk than choosing an established practice software supplier.

Dubsado

  • Automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year
  • The Starter plan allows a single lead capture form
  • Zapier and bookkeeping integrations are excluded from Starter
  • Additional brands are $10 a month each
  • Only 3 users are included, with 4 to 10 costing $25 a month and 21 to 30 costing $60

Pricing, plan by plan

Cone

On request
  • Cone$undefined/year
    • Proposals and engagement letters
    • Electronic signature
    • Recurring billing and direct debit mandates

Dubsado

Free
  • Starter$335/year
    • Limited to 1 active lead capture form
    • Email integration
    • Unlimited projects & clients
  • Premier$525/year
    • Unlimited active lead capture forms
    • All Starter features
    • Bookkeeping integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Cone if

  • You need engagement letters.
  • You also want electronic signature.
Cone review

Choose Dubsado if

  • You need scheduler.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want crm.
Dubsado review

Questions people ask

Is Cone or Dubsado better?
Neither clearly leads. Cone starts at On request and Dubsado at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cone or Dubsado?
Dubsado has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cone and Free for Dubsado.
Does Cone or Dubsado run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Dubsado for free?
Yes. Dubsado has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cone starts at On request.
What is Cone best used for?
Cone is most often used for a bookkeeping practice moving clients from ad hoc invoicing onto signed recurring fee agreements, an accountancy firm that needs engagement letter wording attached to every proposal for compliance reasons, a practice losing revenue to out of scope work that is never billed because nobody notices it, standardising pricing across a firm so that partners stop quoting the same service at different rates. Of those, a bookkeeping practice moving clients from ad hoc invoicing onto signed recurring fee agreements and an accountancy firm that needs engagement letter wording attached to every proposal for compliance reasons are not what Dubsado is typically brought in for.
What can Cone do that Dubsado cannot?
Cone covers Engagement letters, Electronic signature, Recurring billing, Direct debit collection. Dubsado covers Scheduler, CRM, Invoicing, Contracts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cone: Is this only for accountants?

It is designed for accounting and bookkeeping firms. Other professional services firms use it, but general freelancers will find most of it irrelevant.

Dubsado: Does Dubsado offer a free trial?

Yes, Dubsado offers a 21-day free trial with full access to the Premier plan. Annual billing saves 2 months of costs compared to monthly billing.

Source
Cone: Does it handle recurring fees?

Yes, and that is the main reason firms adopt it. Acceptance creates the fee schedule and the collection mandate together.

Dubsado: What is the cost of adding team users?

Dubsado includes 3 free team users. Additional team users cost $25/month for 4-10 users, $45/month for 11-20 users, $60/month for 21-30 users, and custom pricing for 30+ users.

Source
Cone: How are payments collected?

Through supported card and direct debit providers, whose processing fees apply on top of the subscription.

Dubsado: Can you add multiple brands to Dubsado?

Yes, additional brands cost $10/month per brand beyond the included brand.

Source
Cone: What is scope creep flagging?

It compares work performed against the scope agreed in the proposal and surfaces the difference so it can be billed rather than absorbed.

Cone: Is pricing published?

Not in a form that can be quoted reliably. Expect a sales conversation before you can compare it on cost.

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